CPAP User- Melatonin/Sleep Aid Advive

[PhilBausk87]

Hi there,

I am a 26 year old male with moderate sleep apnea. I have had trouble, not falling asleep, but staying asleep due to anxiety or vivid dreams through the course of the evening.

I asked my doctor about Melatonin and he said i can give it a try adn that because i wear a CPAP, i should not have any negative effects.

I was curious if anyone else had any advice for me about how to sleep through the night, and if a melatonin, or a lorzepam (Ativan) combination may help with the anxiety in the mornings?

Please let me know if anyone has had similar issues as the lack of good nights sleep is creating more anxiety and some depression.

I am always open to chatting about any CPAP/anxiety related issues and hope someone does reply here!

[Julie]

I take it you've looked into possibly being awoken by 'silent' GERD? It happens to a lot of us and we need to look into what we eat, drink and when.

[bwexler]

Melatonin is a natural hormone and in low doses, 2 to 4 MG should be safe. Atavan is a prescription drug. I personally prefer to avoid prescription drugs when ever possible, I don't even take aspirin or Tylenol. Even with supplements I research the company providing the supplement and there manufacturing practices as it deals with purity and potency. I like to know as best I can that I am actually getting what is on the label and nothing else, No extraneous lead or arsenic etc.

[LSAT]

I have taken 3mg for over 2 years. It often takes several days for your system to get accustom to the Melatonin. Don't expect relief immediately

[Todzo]

Hi there,

I am a 26 year old male with moderate sleep apnea. I have had trouble, not falling asleep, but staying asleep due to anxiety or vivid dreams through the course of the evening.

I asked my doctor about Melatonin and he said i can give it a try adn that because i wear a CPAP, i should not have any negative effects.

I was curious if anyone else had any advice for me about how to sleep through the night, and if a melatonin, or a lorzepam (Ativan) combination may help with the anxiety in the mornings?

Please let me know if anyone has had similar issues as the lack of good nights sleep is creating more anxiety and some depression.

I am always open to chatting about any CPAP/anxiety related issues and hope someone does reply here!

Sure - step away from the artifical hormones and pharmacuticals - move toward an active lifestyle (Google it - look under 10,000 steps a day).

[bwexler]

Todzo that is excellent advice, the active lifestyle will stimulate the creation of the naturally occurring hormones within our own bodies, especially in someone as young as 26.

[Lea_T]

If you do try melatonin, you will probably want a sustained release formula since your issue is sleep maintenance, not sleep onset. You also may need to play around with doses--sometimes less is more with melatonin. 3 mg is a commonly found dose, but you can also find sustained release melatonin at 1.2 mg and 300 µg (0.3 mg).

[Sir NoddinOff]

Melatonin was always a hit or miss deal with me for years on end. This recent post changed my ideas about melatonin so I tried it for a week and it seems to work:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=93730&p=865559&hili ... in#p865557

I split the standard 3mg sublingual pills in quarters with a pill splitter from RiteAid and it seems to be more effective for the long run. Worth a shot IMO.

[sleeplessmommy]

I second the timed release suggestion.

[49er]

Melatonin was always a hit or miss deal with me for years on end. This recent post changed my ideas about melatonin so I tried it for a week and it seems to work:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=93730&p=865559&hili ... in#p865557

I split the standard 3mg sublingual pills in quarters with a pill splitter from RiteAid and it seems to be more effective for the long run. Worth a shot IMO.

SNO, I am so happy you found something that worked for you as I know you have struggled greatly in this area.

By the way, a sleep doctor out of my area who greatly helped some people I know, is adamant that very low doses work the best. I need to take care of other issues that I feel are interfering with sleep but at some point, I may give a very low melatonin dose another shot if I continue to have problems.

49er

[Oddprofessor]

Hi Phil. If you decide to use melatonin, be aware that it can cause some very vivid dreams. Not scary or weird ones, just very detailed and real-feeling. If you are having nightmares, then you might want to be careful with melatonin. I have also read that high doses can alter your REM periods, suppressing them early on and then allowing better REM sleep later in the night.

I liked the dreaming, and I didn't take enough to disrupt my sleep (little did I know at the time that my sleep was already being disrupted by apnea), but I decided that I needed to try to sleep without chemical aids.

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is another OTC sleep aid that helps some folks. I used to take it, as well (not with melatonin; I took them during different periods in my life), but I'm hoping that helping my apnea will improve my sleep.

Vicki

[PhilBausk87]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

I do want to point out that i have a very active lifestyle, i tend to work out at least once a day and walk a lot around my hometown of manhattan.

I have fits of anxiety/depression that go into cycles so that is what is most likely disrupting my sleep cycle. (Though I was told taking a zantac before bed doesnt hurt for any acid reflux type symptoms).

Does anyone have any suggestions in terms of vitamins etc.. to help fight anxiety depression? I Know this isn't the right message board but the lack of sleep can create such feeligns as well.

Best,

Phil

[flyingwithoutwings]

I've used Melatonin (5mg) for a long time but I ran out just before starting APAP. I've been having such a hard time falling asleep so I started taking it again Monday and I fell asleep quickly and slept like a baby again. I woke up twice last night but went right back to sleep again.

[Todzo]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

I do want to point out that i have a very active lifestyle, i tend to work out at least once a day and walk a lot around my hometown of manhattan.

I have fits of anxiety/depression that go into cycles so that is what is most likely disrupting my sleep cycle. (Though I was told taking a zantac before bed doesnt hurt for any acid reflux type symptoms).

Does anyone have any suggestions in terms of vitamins etc.. to help fight anxiety depression? I Know this isn't the right message board but the lack of sleep can create such feeligns as well.

Best,

Phil

Hi Phil!

Sure.

Those who are working with the D3 hormone (A.K.A. Vitamin D3) (e.g. Dr. Stasha Gominak, Michael F. Holick, Ph.D., M.D., Vitamin D Council) seem to be finding that the very low side of the “normal” range of 30-100 ng/L produces a range of symptoms including OSA, pain, and infection. All believe that a level lower than 50 ng/mL is not good and Dr. Stasha Gominak recommends 60-80 ng/mL for good health.

Dr. Stasha Gominak points out in her YouTube(s) (I think you would do well to view the YouTubes of Gominak and Holick) that many of the parts of the brain which are involved in respiratory control are sensitive to D3 levels. With CPAP use there is a tendency to have respiratory related arousals which seem to be associated with insomnia. I think you should have your vitamin D3 levels checked.

The co-morbid list for metabolic syndrome and OSA is almost exactly the same!! In his book (see: http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Chance-bitter ... 0095ZMPTU/ ) Dr. Lustig explains metabolic syndrome and how to move away from it. This is somewhat of a technical read but is well worth, in my case, a second read simply for the understanding of how my body works and how to better take care of it.

Acid reflux I believe is a result of stress closing off the exit of the stomach and then causing the stomach to spasm. Contents are thus forced up and out. The solution, I think, is to learn to better deal with stress. I am looking into good forms of meditation to help with this.

[Todzo]

I second the timed release suggestion.

will this affect circadian rhythm?